Re: [amsat-bb] Airline Carryon

["George Henry" <ka3hsw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I took my Alinco DX-70 HF rig to the Dominican Republic with me in June of 
2002, just 9 months after 9/11...  as expected, I got more attention from 
airport security than any of the 45 others in our group, but nothing 
extraordinary.  I was asked to remove my shoes at all 3 airports we traveled 
through, and the radio and power supply were wiped down for the explosives 
sniffer.  I was not asked to plug it in and turn it on at any of the 
checkpoints.  The aluminum toolcase that I was carrying it in actually was 
of more interest to them than the radio itself.  The fact that it was a 
youth group mission trip may have helped slightly...

Some suggestions that I received from a friend in the travel industry 
beforehand:

- Remove the radio and any accessories from the carrying case/carry-on bag, 
and put it through X-ray separately from the case.

- Do NOT volunteer any information until asked:  people who offer up 
explanations without being asked often raise suspicion levels.

- If traveling to a foreign country, have copies of your license app or 
reciprocal operating permit app with the radio.  If a license or permit has 
already been issued, have that with you in your passport.

Unfortunately, even though I Fed-Ex'ed my application & fee more than a 
month and a half before going (plenty of time, according to them), they did 
not issue my license until more than a month after I returned to the States, 
so I never got to operate from there (and I was there on Field Day 
weekend!).  I was out about $38 for fees and postage.....   at least when I 
applied for a VU license in 1998, I didn't have to pay anything up front: 
that application was never acted upon.

George, KA3HSW

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <sco@sco-inc.com>
To: <amsat-bb@amsat.org>
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 9:34 AM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Airline Carryon


> Has anyone had any problem with a HF radio in your carry-on bag?  I want 
> to take my Ft-857D with me. Debating about wrapping it in bubble wrap and 
> putting it in my checked bag (locked with TSA approved lock) or taking it 
> in my carry-on.
>
> Les
> W4SCO
> ----
----
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